Darkness will not endure
by Ellynn
Summary: Faramir meets the beautiful White Lady of Rohan and falls in love with her.


Author's note:

This one is for my friend Fili. :hug:

-x-x-x-

Faramir stood in one of the gardens in front of the Houses of Healing and watched the sky in the east. It was dark gray, and the sunlight was dimmed. The city was silent. The army went to the Black Gate, in a last desperate attempt against Sauron. In a few days, Middle-Earth will be utterly changed... for good or evil.

In the Houses of Healing, there were still many men, wounded in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, but now, at the break of dawn, everything was so quiet, most people still slept. His own wounds were healing well, although he had to avoid great strain. But he didn't want to lie still, so he visited other wounded men, talked to them, or walked in the garden a lot, watching his city, the Pelennor, Anduin.

He also did that this morning. In the light darkened by Sauron's shade, the white stone of Minas Tirith seemed to have lost its brightness. Everything was cold – the air, the colours, even the city itself.

Then he lifted his gaze from the Pelennor and looked towards the Houses of Healing. His eyes remained fixed on one of the many windows. A beautiful girl, with long blond hair, clad in white dress, stood at the window observing the sky. Her stature was regal but her eyes sad and lost. She seemed so young and vulnerable, but at the same time, he could sense the steel beneath the apparently fragile surface.

She moved her head towards him and their eyes met. He watched her for several moments. The wind played with locks of her hair. He felt as if he could look at her gorgeous face for hours. She dropped her gaze and then abruptly turned and disappeared.

He stood in the garden for a little longer, still looking at the same window. However, she did not return. Finally he turned and left, too, but the unknown beautiful girl still lingered in his thoughts.

-x-x-x-

Lady Eowyn was her name, as he found out later. She was King Theoden's niece. Her brave deeds filled him with admiration. He had never met a woman like her before. She was here because she had been wounded in the battle, as he was told, and since she had started to recover, she spent most of her time on a terrace at the top floor in the House.

He climbed up the terrace, smiling and hoping to meet her. At the middle, there was a small fountain and lots of flowers and greenery around. Eowyn was there, and she stood beneath one of the vaults, from where there was an impressive sight of the whole Pelennor. She stood with her back turned as he approached, eyes fixed at the east. When he approached her, she turned her face to him. The impression she left on him that morning was now even stronger. She looked like a delicate flower, but the one that would boldly stand upright and defy any storm. Curly blond hair framed her beautiful face. The shadow of sorrow was in her beautiful blue eyes. He wanted to take away that sorrow.

"The city has fallen silent. There is no warmth left in the sun", she said quietly and looked to the east again. "It grows so cold."

He didn't answer at once but kept watching her a little longer. Looking at her, his impulse to comfort her grew even stronger. Although he had just met her, he felt so close to her. And with each moment, he felt he belonged to her more and more.

She sounded discouraged and hopeless, but he felt that her strength had not disappeared but had only withdrawn behind the sorrow that kept choking her. When she finally turned to him again, he smiled at her.

"It's just the damp of the first spring rain", he said softly. She looked at him, with fear and hope mixed in her eyes. "I do not believe this darkness will endure", he added, entirely convinced in his words. He believed in the strength of good, friendship, love and devotion; he believed in what he had fought for all his life, for what their friends would fight far away from Minas Tirith. The dark lord will never be able to defeat them. Middle-Earth will be free, and they'll start a new life. Then he found courage and extended his hand, gently holding hers. He felt his heart beating faster.

He stood and watched as her expression slowly changed. Her eyes filled with tears, but her gaze was now strong and full of faith, while the sorrow disappeared.

And when she smiled back, all darkness disappeared, never to return.


End file.
